An Oyster-Inspired Summer Wedding at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

Mandy and Alec met online by chance, matching when Mandy changed her location for one night while visiting her college roommate. Sparks flew immediately: Mandy remembers thinking he was perfect and waiting for the “catch” that never came, and Alex says he—a big fisherman—was “hooked.” Less than two years later, Alex popped the question at Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis, and then surprised Mandy again with a party at the Annapolis Yacht Club where friends and family, who Mandy thought were in town for her dad’s 60th birthday, had gathered to celebrate.

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For their Eastern Shore wedding in June, the Hagerstown couple kicked off the weekend with a rehearsal dinner and welcome party aboard a boat, the Catherine Marie. The wedding the next day featured a nautical theme with a design that incorporated “neutral, natural textures,” the soft, oyster-inspired colors, and bay grasses.

The food they say, was a highlight: cocktail hour included a raw oyster bar, compressed watermelon salad, mini crab cakes, and more; for dinner there was freshly made focaccia bred, braised beef short rib, and seared rockfish; and to cap it all off, a combination of lemon raspberry wedding cake and scoops from an ice cream cart. At the bar, a blackberry basil gin smash was the signature cocktail and a cucumber mint refresher, was on the menu as the signature mocktail—something Mandy says guests especially enjoyed. Other highlights from included the welcome bags, which mapped out a “perfect day” in St. Michaels so guests could explore; the band, which Mandy says “absolutely matched the vibe” and drew not only the guests to the dance floor, but boaters in to listen from the docks as well; and the Airbnb that the bride’s parent’s booked for the bridal party to stay in together all weekend.

See the photos from the wedding day below.

The Details

Amy Moeller

Fashion & Weddings Editor

Amy leads Washingtonian Weddings and writes Style Setters for Washingtonian. Prior to joining Washingtonian in March 2016, she was the editor of Capitol File magazine in DC and before that, editor of What’s Up? Weddings in Annapolis.